Furnace-grate.



F. L. O. WADSWORTH.

FURNACE GRATE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1912.

Patented July 14, 191 1 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR DZWW HE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO WASHINGTON; C.

P. L. 0. WADSWQRTH. FURNACE GRATE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1912. 1,108,232. Patented July 14, 1914. 2 SHEETSSHEBT 2.

WIT N E S S E 8 THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, D. C-

FRANK L. O. WADSVIORTH, OF SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

FURNACE-GRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 1914.

Application filed September 30, 1912. Serial No. 723,075.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, F RANK L. O. WADS- WORTH, a resident of Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Furnace-Grates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to furnace grates, and more particularly to the form of holdback and dumping grates illustrated in the patent granted to J. H. Meissner, November 13, 1894, No. 529,286.

The object of the invention is to provide mechanism for conjointly operating the holdback and dumping sectionsof the grate by a single rod or lever, and in such mannor that the initial lifting movement of the holdback grate member is performed much more rapidly than the initial lowering movement of the dumping member, and also in such manner that the dumping member may be oscillated, swung or whipped through a very substantial arc of its movement while the trap or holdback section is held substantially fixed or stationary in its most elevated position.

Further objects of the invention are to simplify and improve the construction and operation of grate mechanism of the type referred to, to enable the grate members to be moved in their proper sequence and to be operated as often as desired to free the dumping grate from adhering ash or clinker without the liability of spilling portions of the live fire into the ash pit.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional elevation through the lower or inner end of a grate constructed according to my invention, and illustrating particularly the holdback and dumping grates and their operating mechanism; Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views on a reduced scale, showing the same parts in other positions; Fig. 4 is a similar view, illustrating a portion of the fire box, the main grate, and a modified form of operating mechanism for the holdback and dumping grates; and Figs. 5 and 6 are views corresponding to Fig. 1 and illustrating other modifications.

Referring first tothe form of invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, the grate comprises a main sloping grate 1, which may be of any approved or preferred construction,

such for example as that used in the wellknown Roney stoker, and illustrated more in detail in Fig. 4. The particular construction of the main grate is not a part of my invention and, therefore, requires no further description. At the foot of the main grate 1 are located a holdback grate 2 and a dumping or discharge grate 3. Member 2 may comprise one or more swinging sections of the ordinary continuous, grated or slotted form, and is pivotally mounted on a shaft or rod 4, extending transversely across the furnace chamber beneath the front end of holdback 2. Member 3 may also be either of grated or continuous type, and is pivotally mounted upon a transverse shaft or rod 5 beneath the rear end of dumping grate 3.

Holdback 2 and dumping grate 3 are operated conjointly by the same member or members, which in this case comprise a swinging or oscillating lever 6 pivoted on a shaft 7 extending across the furnace beneath member 2 and in rear of the shaft 4. Lever 6 has a long arm 8 which, in normal position of the parts, or when the grate is closed, extends outwardly and upwardly from the pivot 7. Lever 6 also has a laterally offset or short arm 9, extending downwardly at substantially right angles to the long arm 8 beneath the pivot 7, and pivotally connected, as at the point 10, to a short curved link 11, which, at its other end, is pivotally connected at 12 to an arm or bracket 13 depending from the holdback 2 in front of the pivot shaft 4. The long arm 8 of lever 6 is pivotally connected near its outer end, as at 14, to a long link 15, which at its other end is pivotally connected, as at 16, to an arm or bracket 17 depending from the forward end of the dumping grate 8. Arm or lever 6 is oscillated or swung about its pivot 7 by a rod or bar 18 extending outwardly through an opening 19 in the front wall of the furnace, and provided at its outer end with a suitable handle 20.

The parts are operated by moving the rod 18 inwardly or toward the rear of the furnace, and in this operation the initial movement of lever 6 serves to raise member 2 more rapidly than it permits the downward and rearward swing of member 3. When the lever 6 reaches the position 0, shown in Fig. 2, the upward swing of member 2 is practically completed, and during the remainder of the movement of lever 6 through i the are from c to Z), this member remains Lpractically fixed or stationary, as shown in Fig. 3, while the member 3 is completing its downward movement. Conversely, the lever 6 may be moved from the position 2) shown in Fig. 3, back to the position 0, shown in Fig. 2, without appreciably altering the position of holdback 2. This enables the operator to swing, oscillate or whip the dumping or discharge section for the purpose of completely freeing it from adhering ash or clinker without sensibly moving the holdback section, and without therefore disturbing the position of the live coals on this member or spilling them from its edge into the ash pit opening left by lowering the dumping section.

The result just described is secured by arranging the pivotal'connection 10, between the arm 9 and link 11, and the pivotal connection 12 between link 11. and bracket 13, in such positions, that during the swing of arm 6 to the position 0 the arc of movement of pivot 10' around pivot 7 is in a direction away from the normal position of pivot 12. Moreover, both of the pivots 10 and 12 are below or on the same side of the centers around which they swing. Consequently, the pivot 12 moves with the pivot 10 and swings around its center 4, and the holdback is swung upwardly on its pivot until very nearly fully elevated. However, during the swing of the arm 6 from the position 0 to the position b, the pivot 10 oscillates through an arc cle, past its dead center with respect to the pivot point 12, and there is, consequently, very little movement of this pivot point 12 or of the bracket 13 and holdback 2 to which it is secured. It is, of course, true that during the final movement of lever 6 from c to b, the pivot 10 in traversing the are d-e, first approaches and then cross beyond a line intersecting the pivots 12 and 7. While it is approaching this line the hold back is very slightly elevated, and as it moves beyond the same the holdback is very slightly dropped. These movements, however, are so slight as not to in any manner disturb the live fire on the holdback 2, and

are therefore negligible. 1

The purpose of first quickly raising the holdback member and then holding the member stationary during the final movement of lever 6 is to permit the second portion of the movement of lever 6 to be utilized for oscillating o'r whipping the dumping grate 3 to thereby free it from ashes and adhering clinker without disturbing the live fire bed. It is also essential that the member 2 be prac-' tically fully elevated before the dumping grate 3 is materially lowered so that the live fire will be trapped and held back from dropping into the opening formed by lowering the dumping grate. To secure this result, the pivot it between arm 8 and link 15, and the pivot 16, between link 15 and the bracket '17, are so amvanged that during the swing of lever 6 through the arc a-o, the movement of member a is much less rapid thanit is during the final swing of lever 6 through the arc cb. The pivot 14 is near the outer end of lever 6 and in the normal position a of the parts shown in Fig. 1, is slightly above and outwardly beyond pivot 7. Pivot 16, in the same position of the parts, is below pivot 7. Consequently, during the first portion of the movement of lever 18, pivot 14k travels downwardly through the vertical portion of its arc of swing with not 'much inward horizontal movement, and only slowly approaches the normal position of pivot 16. During the second portion of the movement of lever 6 the pivot let travels more nearly horizontally and in a path directly toward pivot 16. The dumping grate is therefore first moved slowly through a short are until the holdback is fully elevated, and thenmay be 0s: cillated or whipped rapidly through an increased arc, without sensibly affecting the holdback.

The invention is not limited to the particular arrangement of parts justdescribed, and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but is capable of considerable variation and modification, several such modifications being illustrated in the drawings.

in Fig. 1 the axis 7, about which lever'6f swings, is located farther below the holdback 2 than it is in the form shown in Fig. l. The short arm 9 of lever 6 is on the opposite side of the axis 7 from the long arm 8, and is practically in line therewith, instead of projecting laterally or at substantially right angles thereto' Furthermore, pivot 12 between link 11 and bracket 13 is near the inner end of the holdback and above the pivot 7. As in the first form described, the arm or lever 6 is swung by rod 18 through the complete are ct-Z9. The first backward movement of lever 6 lifts the holdback 2 to the position shown in dotted lines and allows the dumping section 3 to be more slowly lowered to an intermediate position of its swing. The continued backward movement of the op erating rod and arm 6 through are 0-?) carries the pivot 10 past its dead center with respect to the upper end of the said link, and therefore does not sensibly afiect the position of the holdbao'k 2. During the final swing of th-e'operating lever the dumping movement of the grate 3 is completed more rapidly, said member finally reaching its extreme lower position, as indicatedin.

dead center. With this mechanism, as before, the dumping grate 3 can be oscillated or swung through considerably more than one-half of its complete arc of movement for the purpose of dislodging adhering ash or clinker without sensibly affecting the elevated position of the holdback 2, and Witl1- out, therefore, lowering that member far enough to allow any of the live unconsumed fuel to drop from its edge through the discharge opening into the ash pit.

Fig. 5 illustrates another modification in which the short arm of operating lever 6 takes the form of an eccentric 9, which operates a connecting rod or link 11 pivotally connected to. the holdback 2. The

relations of the various pivots to each other 1 are substantially the same as in the form shown in Fig. 4%., and the sequence of the movements and manner of operation are the same as in that for1.. Particularly, it will be understood that the center 10 of the eccentric 9 swings around axis 7 in such manner as to finally cross beyond a line intersecting pivots 7 and 12. In this form of the invention also, the operating rod or bar 18 is provided with a rack section 21 which meshes with a toothed segment 22 formed on or secured to the long arm 8 of lever 6. This permits the mechanism to be operated by moving the rod 18 in a straight line in the direction of its length and without side tilt, so that it can slide in suitable guides if desired.

It should be noted that it is by no means essential that the links 11 and 15, which respectively operate holdback and dumping grate members, shall be pivotally connected to the same operating or controlling lever or member. Link 15 may be pivoted to lever 6, as in Fig. 1, or may be connected to the same pivot which connectslever 6 and rod 18, as in Fig. 4-, or, if desired, link 15 may be pivotally connected to the rod 18 itself. The essential thing is that these links 11 and 15 must be connected to a member or related members in such manner as to be operated conjointly and in proper sequence and relation to each other.

Fig. 6 illustrates one form of invention in which the links 11 and 15 are pivotally connected to different operating members, which, however, are themselves so interconnected as to secure the same movements and sequence of operations of the grate members as before. As illustrated, the link 11 is pivoted at its lower end, as at 10, to a segmental gear 23 mounted on the cross shaft 7. The pivotal connection 10, however, is in front of the pivot 7 instead of in rear of the same, as in the form shown in Figs. 1- and 5. Gear 23 engages with a larger segmental gear 24, mounted on a second cross shaft 25 and provided with an operating arm 26, to the outer end of which is secured the actuating rod or bar 18. The dumping section 3 is connected to the outer end of the arm 26, as at 1 1, by a link 15. in this case, the lever arm 26 corresponds to the long arm 8 of lever 6 in Fig. 1, while the gear 23 corresponds to the short arm 9 thereof. When the rod or bar 18 is moved inwardly the segmental gear 21 and lever arm 26 are revolved in counter-clockwise direction, and this lifts the holdback member 2 from the position shown in full lines to that shown in dotted lines. As before, the parts are so positioned with respect to each other that the initial movement of the operating rod and lever causes a lar e and comparatively rapid lifting of the ho ldback section accompanied by a relatively slower downward movement of the dumping section, while in the final stages of the movement the holdback section remains practically stationary and the motion of the dumping section is accelerated. By securing the links 11 and 15 to separate and distinct moving parts, and by making the segmental gears 23 and 24 a varying radii, the arcs of swing through which the pivotal connections 10 and 1 1 of the links 11 and 15 move may be made different, in stead of the same, as they necessarily are when the links are both connected to one and the same part. This construction enables me to reduce the arc of movement of the end of the operating rod 18, and therefore keep the line of movement of said rod more nearly normal to the operating lever 26 with which it is connected, without diminishing the desirable arc of movement of the pivotal connection 10 of the link 11 through and past its point of dead center with respect to its connection with the holdback grate member 2. The general features and mode of operation of the construction shown in Fig. 6 remain, however, the same as those which characterize the constructions previously described.

It will also be now apparent to those skilled in the art that various other detail changes in the specific arrangement of the operating parts of the mechanism may be made without departing from the mode of operation previously described, which involves, as already stated, a quick and rapid initial lifting or upward movement of the holdback grate section accompanied by a relatively slow downward initial movement of the dumping section, and a final very slow and practically insensible movement of the first section, accompanied by a rapid and much more accelerated movement of the second section, as a consequence of which the dumping or discharge member of the grate may be oscillated or whipped through a large part of its complete are of movement without appreciably moving the holdback member from its elevated position.

What I claim is 1. In a furnace, the combination of an up wardly moving holdback and a downwardly moving dumping grate, of interconnected means for conjointly elevating said holdback and partially lowering said grate and then oscillating said grate without appreciably moving said holdback.

52. In a furnace, the combination of a movable holdback, a movable dumping grate in rear of said holdback, an operating memher, and connections from said operating member to said holdback and to said dump ing grate and arranged when operated to raise the holdback and lower the grate, and adapted when said holdback is fully elevated to move said grate without sensibly affec ing the position of said holdback.

V 3. ln'a furnace, the combination of an upwardly swinging holdback, a downwardly swinging dumping grate, operating means, and link connections from said means to said holdback and grate, and arranged when said means is operated to first raise said holdback and partially lower said grate and then oscillate said grate without appreciably moving said holdback.

a. In a furnace, the combination of an upwardly swinging holdback, a downwardly swinging dumping grate, a swinging operating member, and connections between said member and said holdback and between said member and said grate, and so arranged that during the first portion of the movement of said member said holdback is fully elevated and the grate partially lowered, and during the remaining movement of said member said holdba'ck is maintained elevated and said dumping grate is swung or oscillated about its pivot.

5. In a furnace, the combination of an upwardly swinging holdback, a downwardly swinging dumping grate, a swinging operating member, a link connecting said operat ing member and said dumping grate, and operating connections between said member Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. 0'.

and said holdback, said connections being so arranged that during the first portion of the movement of said member said ho-ldback is fully elevated and said dumping grate is partially lowered, and during the remainder of the movement of said member said dumping grate is oscillated without appreciably moving said holdback.

6. In a furnace, the combination of an upwardly swinging holdback, a downwardly swinging dumping grate, a swinging operating member, a link connecting said member and said holdback, and connections between said operating member and said grate, said link and said connections being so arranged that during the first portion of movement of said member said holdback is fully elevated and said dumping grate is partially lowered, the pivot connecting said link and operating member being so disposed that during further movement of said operating member said pivot travels across a line intersecting the pivots about which said member and holdback swing, whereby said grate can be oscillated Without appreciably varying the position of said holdback.

' 7 In a furnace, the combination of an upwardly swinging holdback, a downwardly swinging grate, swinging operating means, and links pivotally connecting said means and said holdback and grate, the pivotal connections between said links and said holdback and grate being so disposed that during movement of said means the pivotal connection between said means and the holdback link travels across a line intersecting the pivotal connection of said link to the holdback and the aXis about which said operating means swings.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto setmy hand.

FRANK L. O. WADSWORTH.

Witnesses:

VILLIAM l3. WHARTON, WM. P. LARKIN.

Commissioner of Patents, 

